Minnesota Lakes

Discover the Major lakes in Minnesota

Minnesota is a state that is normally referred to as the state of ten thousand lakes. This is because of its numerous lakes that cover every county in the state. The lakes in Minnesota create great fishing and boating activities to both the locals and tourists.

The actual number of lakes in Minnesota is more than 11,842. These lakes can be categorized by various factors like; size, depth, location and length.

Considering the lakes surface area, Red Lake, located in the northern county of Beltrami is the largest lake in Minnesota. It has a water surface area of 288,800 acres. This lake also ranks second among the lakes that are located within the borders of the United States of America. It is divided into two parts, the upper and the lower, by a peninsula. The two parts are known as the Upper Red Lake and the Lower Red Lake with the upper section being the deepest.

Second on the list of the largest lakes is the Mille Lacs Lake that covers an area of 132,516 acres. The lake is 42 feet deep and is well known for the fishing activities that take place here. Get to Mille Lac County in Minnesota and you will experience the waters of this great lake first hand.

Leech Lake is the third largest lake of the lakes. This lake is said to be the heart of the Chippewa National forest which has the highest population of the Bald Eagles and it has an area of 112,527 acres of water. Leech Lake is found in Cass County and has a depth of about 150 feet. At its shores you will find the city of Walker.

Following Leech Lake in size is Lake Winnibigoshish otherwise shortened as Winni that covers an area of 58,544 acres. The lake is rich in fish and is a well known fishing ground by many fishermen. The lake, located in the Chippewa National forest is approximately seventy feet deep and has an undeveloped shoreline.

Lake Vermillion is the fifth largest lake located within the borders of Minnesota. It has an area of 40,557 acres of water and well over 300 islands. This lake has the longest shoreline in the whole country and is located in St. Louis County.

The other lakes that make to the list of the ten largest lakes are; Lake Kabetogama with an area of 25,760 acres, Mud Lake at 23,700 acres, Cass Lake at 15,596 acres, Lake Minnetonka with 14,004 acres, and Otter Tail Lake that has an area of 13,725 acres of water.

In terms of depth, the deepest lake in Minnesota is Lake Superior, which is 1,290 feet deep. This lake is a border lake meaning it is partially within the state. The deepest in-land lake is the Ten Mile Lake with a depth of 209 feet which is closely followed by the Lower La Salle Lake found in Hubbard County and has a depth of 204 feet.

The lakes are also categorized in terms of their nature of formation. There are actually two additional categories of lakes, which are artificial lakes and natural lakes. Counties like Olmsted, Rock and Pipestone do not have any natural lakes meaning they only have the artificial ones, or man-made lakes.

Visit the great state of lakes and explore its over 10,000 majesties and the opportunities that they offer in terms of swimming, fishing, boating and several other fun-filled activities to those who visit them.